Tablet Plus

The Halkin by COMO

18.5

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From £238
(approx. $352)
Check availability as rates may vary for dates. Best rate guaranteed.

Many of the world’s most stylish hotels are heavy on the public spaces, pouring money into lounges, libraries, drawing rooms, even private cinemas, while relegating the paying guests to cramped, uninspired rooms. How this works as a business proposition is quite beyond our understanding, but in this case it’s irrelevant — London’s Halkin hotel turns this stereotype inside out. Here the public spaces amount to little more than a small but handsome lobby and bar (and of course a restaurant, of which more later), while the rooms get the star treatment.

And what rooms they are, outfitted in what can only be described as Milanese Zen, rich leathers and soothing muted colors doing their best to expand the already generous space (which in London counts as a real luxury). Each floor takes on as its theme one of the four ancient elements (five, if you count sky), but the differences are subtle enough to avoid gimmickry; all four are as unassumingly elegant as can be. The marble bathrooms are expansive, and the COMO Shambhala bath products add to the culture shock — you may have to walk outside and see the building’s Georgian façade to reassure yourself that this is indeed London.

The location, in quietly upscale Belgravia, is a perfect match for this chic yet grown-up hotel — attractive yet not too ostentatious, and providing easy access to Knightsbridge, Hyde Park, Sloane Street and Picadilly. It also affords easy access to the Halkin’s sister hotel, the Metropolitan, whose spa is open to Halkin guests, as is its restaurant, Nobu — and repeat guests should note that the Halkin's new gym makes a trip to the Metropolitan's health club unnecessary.

But while Nobu is nice, Halkin has its own restaurant, Ametsa with Arzak Instruction. An offshoot of Elena Arzak’s famous San Sebastian temple of gastronomy, it has already been awarded a Michelin star for its bold new Basque cuisine. (Think “sea bass with leek ash and moon rocks.”) If the restaurant’s slightly odd name suggests something was lost in translation from the Basque country, it certainly doesn’t show in the dining experience; a meal here is not to be missed.

So there you have it — a haute-couture Italian-style boutique hotel, owned by Singapore’s Christina Ong, serving avant-garde Basque cuisine just steps from Hyde Park Corner tube station. If it’s Union Jacks and bangers and mash you’re after, this is clearly not your place — but for those with global tastes, it’s hard to top.

How to get there:

The Halkin hotel is a 5-minute walk from the Hyde Park Corner tube station. If you’re arriving from Heathrow Airport the most convenient transfer option to central London is the Heathrow Express train, which leaves Heathrow Airport every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes to arrive at Paddington Station. One-way fares are available from £18 and round-trip fares from £32. By black cab, The Halkin is approximately a 45-minute ride from Heathrow Airport (depending on traffic) and can cost upwards of £50.

This hotel includes the following special privileges for Plus Members only:

Complimentary upgrade upon hotel check-in, based upon availability

Guaranteed 4pm check-out

Complimentary fruit arrangement on arrival (a value of £6.50)

One complimentary glass of champagne or one cocktail, per guest, upon arrival (a value of about £17, depending on the drink)

Other London hotels

74 Guest Reviews

All reviews are from Tablet guests with verified stays.

Henry

Stayed January 2009

Rating: Good

What I liked:

Despite the traditional facade of the building, the interior is ultramodern and very sleek. I got a room upgrade thanks to my TabletPlus membership, and found the accomodations to be spacious. That's a not a word found in the lexicon of most hotels, especially ones in London. In addition to a large King bed, I was treated to a comfy L-shaped sofa, dressing room area (yes, it's true), and a bathroom with room for a separate bath and shower. I also rate hotels by the view outside the window. It's not that I'm willing to pay a premium for a park view that I'll likely only enjoy for a moment as I draw the blinds and go to bed, but I think it shows a lot about a hotel when they think about what lies outside your window. In this case I had a view of an enclosed courtyard, which created a serene feeling consistent with the overall karma of the hotel.

I even arranged for dinner at the Thai restaurant on premises and was pleasantly surprised to find that the reviews meshed pretty well with the service and the quality of the food. I would recommend you just go with the tasting menu and tell your waiter what you like and don't like, otherwise you'll take an hour to order and you'll mangle the names of the dishes unless you're just back from the Orient.

What the hotel could do better:

The public space is unimaginative and not very inviting. This is London afterall, and notwithstanding the post-modern decor of the place I would think a comfortable lounge where you could meet people or have a cup of tea after coming back from a meeting should be a requirement of every hotel in the city.

I still don't understand the reason why every hotel in the world does not have a pants press in their guest rooms!

Pierre

Stayed December 2008

Rating: Excellent

What I liked:

Not a very big sized hotel, overstaffed and with all the glitz, but a typical British understatement of a perfect hotel. Service was personnal and room service fast. Morning newspaper, friendliness, flowers and so on. and food - was above average ( one star Thai restaurant ). Room very spacious with all what you need and more. Shopping at some walking minutes from Knightsbridge ( Harrods and all the others )

What the hotel could do better:

Only drawback was on Sunday night when room service was slow and the menu rather poor ; my Steack was overcooked ( meat and all the rest was nevertheless quite good but too American style );

Achiel

Stayed January 2009

Rating: Excellent

What I liked:

The room, the bathroom, the service, the morning newspaper, the relaxing athmosphere